Among Arab Nations, Algeria is a crucial partner for Hungary, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zsolt Németh said on 11April 2013.

Mr. Németh spoke on the sidelines of a two-day official visit to Algiers, marking the 50th anniversary of Hungarian-Algerian diplomatic ties. Security policy cooperation and education are key components in bilateral relations, he said.

The Parliamentary State Secretary told MTI by phone that he had met Algeria’s Foreign Minister Murad Medelci and State Secretary in charge of Maghreb and African Issues Abdelkader Messahel, and had held a lecture to young diplomats at the Algerian Institute for Diplomacy and International Relations.

Algeria is Hungary’s second largest trading partner in Africa, Németh noted, adding that bilateral trade turnover has been growing rapidly. He also said that agriculture and water management offered further areas for cooperation.

Németh mentioned security policy as another area for bilateral cooperation, and said that Algeria greatly appreciated Hungary's contribution to efforts aimed at creating stability in neighbouring Mali.

The Parliamentary State Secretary also referred to an upcoming Africa forum to be held in Budapest this year, adding that representatives of Algeria’s anti-terrorist forces will attend the event, with the fight against terrorism high on the agenda.

(MTI, MFA)